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Mostly rare in all categories so prices are readily influenced by only a small number of collectors. Trend is inevitably upwards and probably almost unobtainable in another 20 years. But amassing a collection will affect the prices and when you stop... prices will drop.... until the next one comes along. Paperweights are more stable and getting incredibly pricey.

Very interesting, thank you for your input. I'm not sure if I agree, as I've noticed a radical drop in prices on average except for the ultra-rare; even those are down from the era of the market peak of the Sotheby's auction days. But thank you for your feedback. Good luck with the French woman. Stay away from snails.

The drops coincide with wealthier collectors dropping out or dying, and of course you always need at least two at the same time. Monart is slowly becoming a classic collectable but will always be a victim of collecting fashion. The problem being that not enough was ever made to sustain a large collector community and as a result extreme fluctuations are not uncommon. But underlying this is a slowly growing core of steady collectors who slow down in the peaks and buy in the troughs and these are slowly drying up the available pieces.

Consider that in the early 1980s 80 pounds was an extreme price to pay for any piece, average 10 to 20 pounds. But by the end of the eighties the best were changing hands at well over 2,000 and an auction record of over 5,000 was achieved.

Ysart paperweights nosedived after the fakes appeared but have continued to rise steadily and probably at peak now, but the difference there is that in the weight world PY is a one of the most important names.

I would say that the Monart market is still maturing and the Vasart/Strathearn still in their early stages.

I reckon Ysart glass (Monart in particular) is of an unique significance such that it will always be collectable - it will have highs and lows in the market - but it is always going to be very important - I'm sure it will only go up again as it gets to being 100 years old and "officially" antique.

Of course, this may depend on the recession improving, although it's not really affecting the wealthy.

that may well be but the prices of all collectibles in the making tend to fluctuate for a while before stabilising - regardless of fashion or recession. In, for instance, Leerdam, or Orrefors, some designers are collected and others are not, underlining that collecors go for names. It is the realisation that some designers are top, and some are subtop. Some names may live, others will be forgotten in 5 years time. I would not bank on all Scottish glass as being a future collectible - notably Caithness may suffer from overproducing giftware and underperforming in design, and Strathearn will be struggling.

Thanks Everyone for your input. Getting right down to it: I have a friend with whom I "do glass." He is sitting on 20-ish pieces of Monart (a few of them are Vasart). All of them are good pieces; some are quite good, some are ordinary smalls, all are in excellent condition. What would you do with them? Sell now, and if so how would you go about doing so; or hold on to them? He is eager to move the pieces because he is trying to downsize, but is flexible.

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